Rep. Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.), a leading Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform panel, on Wednesday backed Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) to lead the committee if Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) gives up the gavel.

Towns on Wednesday publicly acknowledged he would want the job if Waxman moves on to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, but has also backed Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) to keep the chairmanship of that panel.

Towns, who “is a strong supporter of the seniority system,” had not wanted to presume that there would be a vacancy at the top of the Oversight panel, his aides said.

“I do feel [Dingell] is going to win,” Towns said while leaving a Congressional Black Caucus press conference. But if Dingell loses, “I would definitely be a candidate. I have the seniority. I’m next in line. I’ve been around here 26 years,” he continued.

Maloney, who ranks fourth on the panel, said in a statement issued Wednesday that she would back Towns if he wants the job, but also indicated her own interest in the gavel.

"If the chair of Oversight and Government Reform becomes open, I would support Mr. Towns. If Mr. Towns were not a candidate, I would be — and I believe I would make the strongest case, having served the caucus by my work in helping to save the census and advancing a reform agenda in Government Oversight,” Maloney said.

Maloney’s yielding essentially makes any Oversight race a two-person contest between Towns and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), who is just below Maloney on the panel. Through his office, Cummings has expressed his interest, and is an active supporter of Waxman in his bid to take the Energy and Commerce helm. It also means that if Towns were not to run, Maloney would try to move in ahead of Cummings.